Fifty Shades of Ron
by Elizabeth Blossom
Summary: Fifty one-shot's about Ron Weasley. (Trigger warnings for some chapters.)
1. Ron Rides a Broom for the First Time

Written for the **Fifty Shades Of... Challenge** and **The First Time Competition**.

* * *

Ron looked at Charlie and chewed on his lower lip. "Are you sure this is okay?" Ron asked, his blue eyes shining with worry, fear, and nervousness.

"Yeah, Ron," Charlie replied with a grin. "This is perfectly safe, and I'll be right behind you, holding on tight. Just don't tell Mum and Dad. They still think you're too young, which is ridiculous. I was the same age as you when I snuck onto a broom. Don't tell Mum and Dad that either." Charlie saw that his words had not comforted Ron. He sighed and knelt down in front of Ron. He poured every ounce of seriousness he could into his voice.

"I promise you Ron, I won't let you fall."

Ron looked at his brother shrewdly. It seemed like it would be the best thing in the world to ride a broom, to show Charlie that one day he would be just as good a Quidditch player as him one day. Ron knew that one day they would play for the Chudley Cannons together one day, as well as win the World Cup for England. Ron was sure of it.

He couldn't do any of that if he didn't learn a broom, but learning how to ride seemed terrifying. Ron really wanted to learn how to do it. He also really wanted to run away.

If he didn't do this however, then how could he ever get into Gryffindor, the House for the brave?

Ron squared his shoulders, stood up straight, and looked his big brother dead in the eyes. "Let's do this," he said in a voice much braver than he thought.

_I can do this, _he told himself. _I can be brave._

Charlie grinned. He had honestly started to think that Ron would bow out of doing this now. Not that there was anything wrong with that. Flying should be something that you enjoyed. Percy was nearly seven before he could even considered getting on a broom. Ron was only five. If Charlie forced his little brother, it wouldn't be fun. But Ron was determined to do this, even though it scared, and Charlie was proud of him.

He got Ron on the broom, and then Charlie positioned himself behind his little brother. "You ready, little man?" he asked. Ron nodded shakily, and so Charlie kicked them off.

Ron's stomach dropped and he smiled. He was flying! He was up in the air, the wind surrounding him and ruffling his hair. The Burrow was underneath him, everything was beneath him. Ron laughed.

This was the best feeling in the world.


	2. Theo Finds Ron (tw for non-graphic rape)

Warnings for non-graphic rape. If this could be triggering to you in anyone, please do not read this! I want people to read this, but not if it's going to hurt someone.

This might be an odd choice to write my second chapter about, but I couldn't get the idea out of my head. I just started writing and I had five hundred words before I knew it, with more trying to come out. I've gone over this many times, more than I usually do with a fic, and hopefully it shows.

* * *

Theo couldn't help but stare at Ron Weasley. Sitting across the Great Hall at the Gryffindor table, the other boy was laughing, joking with his friends. To the rest of the world, there was nothing wrong with him.

_"__Please don't tell anyone," Ron sobbed._

Theo shook his head and looked down at his plate (which was bare of food because why should he even pretend like he was able to eat), trying to clear it of the memories of last night. It was impossible though. What he had seen had haunted him, the images forcing him to stay awake no matter how hard he tried to sleep. Still, Theo supposed that Ron probably had a harder time getting to sleep last night.

_Ron was leaning against a wall, using it as support. He had a split lip, a black eye, and tear tracks on his cheeks. He was breathing heavily, sobs mixing in. His robes were ripped and in a state of disarray. He looked _destroyed_. He hadn't noticed Theo yet._

Theo glanced back up, only to meet Ron's eyes. For a minute, they engaged in a staring contest, which Theo won. Ron turned away, his back now hunched as if Theo's eyes were a weight he was just now feeling. Granger seemed to notice the change in demeanor, as she looked at him worried. Theo assumed that she was asking him if he was okay (he wasn't that good at lip-reading though he was trying to get better now that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named returned), and since Ron shook his head, Theo assumed that he was lying.

_Theo felt like he was frozen as he took in Ron's appearance. This was the last thing he would have ever expected to see as he turned the corner. He couldn't think of a single instance that he had ever had contact with the Gryffindor, and he had only crossed Theo's mind when he thought of Harry Potter or of the Weasley family, both of which were very rare for Theo to be thinking about. But as Theo looked at the other boy, all he could think about was every single moment he had ever seen him in class, on the train, in Diagon Alley, and anything other possible place they might have been at the same time. He thought of every moment everywhere._

Ron only stayed at the table for another few minutes before he hurriedly got up, clearly not wanting to endure the stares of both Theo and Granger. As soon as the redhead left the Great Hall, Theo got up to follow him, ignoring Daphne's questioning stare. He would deal with her later, though she clearly noticed that his black hair wasn't styled this morning and therefore knew that he had bigger things to deal with than her bugging him about what was wrong. (Frankly, she was the perfect best friend.)

Ron was waiting for him as soon as he exited, arms crossed and directly in front of the entrance. His blue eyes burrowed up into Theo's brown. Theo had never been gladder that he was the tallest boy in their year, though Ron was close.

_Theo stared at Ron for what must have been only a minute, but what felt like years. Ron looked at him like he was his worst nightmare. Finally, Theo managed a choked, "What happened?"_

_Ron scoffed. "What do you _think_ happened?" he said, sounding for a minute like the old Ron. Which was ridiculous because Theo had never met the old Ron, because what had obviously happened to Ron was something that as far as Theo knew, divided your life into who you were before and who you were after. Theo was the first person (actually the second person, or maybe the third, or maybe- he cut himself off) to meet the new Ron._

_He wished that there would have been no need for this meeting to happen. He wished that he hadn't snuck out to do a little extra studying in the library. He wished that there was someone more competent in his place, someone that could actually help Ron._

_Theo swallowed nervously, his mouth dry. He was usually in control, not a hair out of place or an emotion shown. But this? This was more than anything Theo had ever been confronted with._

_Dozens of questions went through his head, each more ridiculous than the last. "Are you okay?" "Do you need any help?" "Should I get a teacher?" "Should I get your friends?" "Should I get your brothers or your sister?"_

_"__No!" Ron yelled, and Theo realized that he had asked all those questions out loud. "Please don't tell anyone," Ron sobbed. "I don't want anyone to know. No one can know." Ron started to sink down to the floor, and Theo instinctively reached out to catch him. Ron flinched as he did so, and Theo slowly brought his arms back._

"You've been watching me," Ron stated accusingly and Theo nodded, stunned.

Ron narrowed his eyes, not asking the obvious question of "Why?"

"Have you told anyone?" Theo asked, honestly hoping he had. Theo had no idea how the human mind worked, but he could easily figure out that keeping what happened bottled in would not end up good for anyone.

"No," Ron said curtly. "And you aren't going to tell anyone either. As far as I'm concerned, last night never happened."

Theo blinked dumbly. For someone who had always thought he had all the answers, he couldn't answer a single one about Ron. "But it did," he said. "You can't just deny it."

"Watch me," Ron replied, and with that, he turned his back and left Theo standing there, numb.

(o)

Ron had felt like crying ever since he had woken. He felt like one little nudge would send him over the edge, would make him break and shatter into a million pieces.

_Nott made a move to catch him and Ron couldn't help it, he felt himself flinch. The idea of anyone touching him, even someone who just wanted to help, was too much. Ron just wanted to take a long, hot shower. He wanted to sleep forever. He wanted to die so that way he could stop feeling this all-consuming pain._

It wasn't that he didn't feel grateful to Nott. If he hadn't found him, Merlin only knows who would have and what they would have made him do. Nott at least respected the fact that Ron just wanted him to fix his lip and his eye and then let him go back to his dorm to take a shower. Nott was good enough to walk him back to the Gryffindor common room because all Ron could see as he walked through Hogwarts were his attackers, ready to hurt him again. Nott let Ron lean on him as he did so, because walking really hurt, more than it should, and so he was willing to touch another human being even though it sounded like hell.

_"__Weasley," the Slytherin said. "Who did this to you?" He saw Nott tense up, as if he was waiting to hear a Housemate named, a Housemate that he could never look in the eye again. He wondered if Nott was going through the most likely subjects in his mind. Well, Nott would have to keep guessing._

_Ron had no idea who it was. The bastard had obliviated him. Or bastards. Ron didn't even know how many there had been._

Quickly, Ron ducked inside an empty classroom. His first class wasn't for another hour and he had no idea where he was going, except that it had to be away from everyone. He leaned up against a wall and slid down until he was sitting on the floor. He tried to control his breathing. Ron was an emotional guy, he knew that, but he had never been crying emotional. He prayed it was just because the rape had been last night, and this wasn't going to be a common occurrence.

Rape. It was the first time he had thought of what had happened as what it was and it brought Ron no joy. All it did was make him want to cry harder.

Ron felt someone sit next to him. He jumped in surprise and fear, his heart hammering. Nott was sitting down next to him, his hands up to show he had no intention of touching him. "I'm sorry I followed you. I probably shouldn't have," he said, looking more nervous and embarrassed than Ron had ever seen a Slytherin look before. "But I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

Ron looked at him searchingly for a minute before nodding. He wasn't and Ron was surprised how good it felt that someone realized that. Someone other than Hermione and knew the exact reason why.

"If you want me to leave. . ." Nott said as he started to stand. Again, Ron was surprised by Nott. This time by the fact that he really didn't want him to leave.

"No!" Ron said, far louder than he meant to. Nott looked surprised. "Don't leave yet," Ron said meekly, hating himself for being so damned emotional. But Nott sat back down and Ron was glad for that.

Ron glanced down at his hands and took a shuddering breath. He could feel Nott waiting patiently for him to talk. "I don't remember," he said, his voice trembling with tears he didn't want to shed. "I can't think of who did this or how many there were. He, or they, must have used a Memory Charm. So it could be anyone. I could have walked right past them on the way to breakfast this morning and I wouldn't have known."

"Ron," Nott said. Ron looked up into Nott's eyes, surprised at the use of his first name. "I think you would know."

"I really hope so, because I really want to bash their face in."

* * *

There will be definitely be a sequel to this fic somewhere else in this collection, though when I cannot say. I might just take this and make it the first chapter of a linear story, but I'm not certain at this point.

If at any point in this fic there was something you thought was disrespectful, please let me know and I will change it no matter what.


	3. RonDaphne (Secret Admirer)

Written for **Secret Admirer Competition** and **Fanfiction Tournaments Competitions**.

* * *

Ron stared at the gift that an owl had just dropped off for him, as did everyone around him. Wrapped with green paper and tied with a shimmery gold bow, Ron had no idea what it was, what it was for, and who it was from.

"Are you sure?" Seamus asked again. "You can't think of _anyone_ it could be? You're certain?"

Ron gave a sigh of deep frustration. He wondered if anyone would blame if he strangled Seamus to death and decided while probably not, he shouldn't take the risk. Harry and Hermione wouldn't know what to do without him after all.

"Seamus, at this point, if I thought it was Snape, I'd tell you. But to answer your question for the fifth bloody time, I have no fucking idea who it could be!"

"Language, Ron!" Hermione said while Seamus gapped like a fish out of water and said with wide eyes, "What if it Snape?"

Parvati rolled her eyes and slapped Seamus on the back of his head. "Don't be ridiculous. We don't even know if it's from a secret admirer. Ron hasn't even opened it yet."

As soon as she said that, everyone turned to look at him expectedly. Ron felt himself turning red before their eyes. "Actually," he mumbled. "I was thinking of opening it alone. . ."

"No," the fifth-year Gryffindors said simultaneously. Ron blinked. "Fine," he said petulantly.

He was careful about opening the present instead of tearing into it as he usually did. He didn't know why, but he got the feeling that whoever did this had been really proud of the final product. He didn't want to ruin it. After he unwrapped the present, he opened the lid of the plain brown box that must hold the present meant for him.

They all gasped when they saw what it was.

It was a drawing. A drawing of Ron, on some winter evening playing chess with Harry. He was sitting next to a window in the library, Hermione noticeable in the background studying, frost on the panes and snow in the background. On the windowsill, next to him, there was a candle, illuminating Ron, making him the obvious center of attention in the drawing. The pure care and attention to detail given to this picture was breathtaking.

A note had also been in the box. Quickly, Ron grabbed it before anyone else could. Not even bothering with trying to read it by himself, he read it quietly so only the eight Gryffindors could hear. It was written in an extraordinarily elegant script, which fit with the artist he was imagining in his head.

"'Ron, this must seem very odd. But I saw this scene over the holidays, and it took my breath away. I had to draw it. Of course, as soon as I as finished it, I realized how exactly this would come across, and thus I have given it to you, who I think it truly belongs too. I would love to give this to you with you knowing who I was, but I know you would not accept it. I just ask that you please treasure it, for it is the drawing I'm the proudest of.'"

Lavender gasped and clutched her heart. "That's so romantic! Guys," she said, looking around. "We need to find this girl. Or guy!" She gasped again. "Maybe that's why they didn't give it in a person. They didn't think Ron would accept them."

"Well, I would but-"

"Don't be ridiculous," Dean interrupted. "It's a Slytherin, that's why."

"A Sly-"

"Maybe it's a Slytherin guy!" Neville exclaimed.

"Perhaps it's Snape!" Seamus said. Parvati looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "Do you have something you want to tell us, Seamus?"

"The writing looks feminine. I agree with Dean. It's a Slytherin," Hermione said.

"You know, if it is a Slytherin, guy or girl, maybe we could get some more DA members, as well as more unity between Houses," Harry added.

"Yes, yes, that's all well in good," Lavender said, "but Valentine's Day is tomorrow, and we need to find this person by then. I proclaim myself in charge of the 'Find Ron Weasley's Secret Admirer Association,' and I'm giving you each a job to do."

Ron groaned loudly, which everyone else ignored as they listened intently to Lavender's instructions, and stood up, grabbing his bag. It was clear that they didn't care about his opinion right now. Besides, he had already eaten breakfast, so why bother staying?

He exited the Great Hall with the intent to wander around aimlessly in the general direction of Charms, his first class of the day. He was stopped however, by the girl who ran out of the Great Hall and right in front of him, almost tripping him. Ron nearly growled, stopping himself just in time.

It was Daphne Greengrass, a Slytherin girl that Ron recognized simply from classes. She was pretty, very pretty, petite with chocolate brown hair, forest green eyes, olive skin, and a heart-shaped face.

"It was me!" she nearly yelled. Ron looked at her in wide-eyed shocked and opened-mouth surprise. His anger was forgotten.

"I drew the picture," she said, her words fast like if she stopped for one second, she would never say them. "I drew the picture, I realized how creepy and strange it was, I wrote the note, I sent it to you because I have had a crush on you since first-year, I saw you talking to your friends, I realized that I wanted to give it to you in person, I hope you liked it, and I really hope you come with me to Hogsmeade tomorrow for a Valentine's date because I really would like to give this a try."

Ron stared at her. He had never really given much thought to Daphne, mainly because she always seemed to be alone, but as he stared at her, biting her bottom lip nervously, looking terrified and wanting to run away, yet being stubborn and staying, he heard himself say, "Yes."

The smile on her face as she said, "Seriously?" made him very glad he did.


	4. Ron's a Muggle-born

An idea I love and I really want to make a longer story about.

* * *

Ron stared at the stern looking man in front of him, who was standing on the front porch of his house. He had greasy black hair, sharp black eyes, and a hooked nose. He looked a lot like the teachers that he had heard his older brother's complain about, that Ron was scared of meeting at school. There was something about him that made it clear that Ron would regret annoying more than any of those other teachers.

"Are you Ronald Bilius Weasley?" he asked, and Ron nodded numbly.

"I need to speak with you and your parent's, so get them for me," he said. Ron turned his head and yelled inside, "Mum, Dad, Fred and George set me up!"

Ron heard the man mutter, "I know where you're going." He was scared about what exactly that meant.

"What?" his mother yelled. "What did they do? Fred, George!"

"Nothing! Ron's making it up," they yelled back.

"Merlin, help me," the man said and Ron couldn't help but agree.

Even though he had no idea why they were asking _Merlin_.

Ron opened the door wider and the man entered with a look of disdain on his face when he saw the mess. His mother preferred to call the look "homey", but in reality, it was at best organized chaos.

Molly hurried out to the foyer to see what Ron was talking about, and blinked in surprise when she saw the man. "Arthur?" she called shakily.

"Yes, dear?"

"Come here," she called.

"I would suggest you call the rest of your family too," said the man haughtily. "I think you will all be curious as to what I have to tell you about your son."

Molly looked at him warily, but still called out, "Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, Ginny, come here!"

The man looked at Ron and raised his eyebrow. Ron nodded with a grimace to answer the unspoken question.

Within minutes, all of Ron's siblings and his father were downstairs and looking at Ron and the man. The twins were looking at them both with a grin, clearly excited to hear what Ron had done and ready to torture him with the information. Ron didn't even know what he had done, but he was getting more scared with every passing moment.

He was one of the good ones! Well, except for what he did on the last day of school, but Bobby Morgans had been asking for it.

"What did Ron do?" Arthur asked, wanting to smooth this out before anything happened at all.

"It's not so much what he did," said the man. "It's what he can do."

All nine Weasley's looked at him confused. The man sighed. "Let me start from the beginning. My name is Severus Snape. Your son Ron is a wizard."

For a minute, all the Weasley's were silent, and then it exploded. Fred and George was laughing, Molly was yelling at the man to get out, and Arthur was trying to pull the man out of the house. Snape rolled his eyes, grabbed a piece of wood from inside his sleeve, a piece that was oddly decorated, and waved it.

Suddenly, every member of Ron'd family went silent, his father stopped moving except for his eyes, and Fred and George found themselves being bound, tied, and gagged. With another wave, every misplaced and disorganized piece in the house went to their proper place and the house was suddenly cleaned. Ron doubted it had ever looked more immaculate.

"One day," Snape said, "your son will be able to do that. Now, can we all sit down like civilized human beings, or you will continue yelling?" The wood - the _wand_ \- was waved again. Arthur fell to the ground, eyes wide, and Fred and George were unbound, untied, and ungagged. "You can speak now," Snape said with a roll of his eyes.

"A wizard," his mum whispered, shocked like every other member of the family. "You're a wizard. Ron's a wizard. Ron can't be a wizard."

Ron almost agreed with her, until he started remembering little things he had done ever since he _could_ remember. Vases exploding whenever he was angry, the cookie jar magically appearing on the counter when he wanted one, and how Fred and George would often have something funny happening to them right after they really got something over him. Judging from the looks on his family's faces, they were remembering them just as well.

Ron turned to look at Snape. "I'm a wizard," he said. "Really?"

The man nodded. "You are."

Ron looked at him. Part of him wanted this to be a truly horrible prank done by Fred and George, and that they would start laughing uncontrollably in a moment though he knew they wouldn't.

Part of him couldn't remember ever feeling this happy.

* * *

What do you guys think? More will definitely be added later, but I need to work on some other stories right now and I got to a pretty good stopping place with this one. And though it isn't mentioned, Hermione's a pureblood.

I have _**ideas**_ for her.


	5. DracoRon (angels and demons AU)

Written for the **Rubik's Cube Challenge**, **Harry Potter Carnival Competition**, and **The Give Ron Weasley a Girl/Guy Challenge**.

* * *

"Do you enjoy this, Draco?" he heard behind hm. With a smirk, Draco turned around to see Ron. The angel's wings were fluttering fast, and Draco knew that meant Ron was getting agitated.

"I do," he replied simply. "I know you have place in your . . . whatever angels have in place of hearts for these two."

Draco turned his head to look at the two mortal in front of him. Harry James Potter and Hermione Jean Granger, took no notice of either of them, of course.

"Why do you like them?" Draco asked casually.

Ron narrowed his eyes, but responded to the question all the same. "They're fascinating. The most alive mortals I've seen in years."

"You use to follow his father around, didn't you?" Draco knew that he had, the boy looked too much like the one twenty years ago for there to be any doubt, and Draco had spent many hours following Ron, following them. "Pity that you couldn't save him."

His eyes still on the two friends, he could still feel Ron's glare on him. "I wanted to, but I was informed that I couldn't."

"Who told you that, _Azrael_?" He used Ron's angelic name, not the name that the angel had been using when they first met and the one Draco called him. He noticed though that every time he met the angel, he still wore the form of a tall, handsome young man with bright red hair, strands of gold and burgundy mixing into it, and sharp blue eyes that reminded Draco of the sea on a sunny day. Draco wore the face of a blond man with gray eyes

The angel of death was not one to be easily commanded, and Draco was curious as to who could.

"Fate, _Zepar_." He used Draco's demonic name in retaliation.

Draco blinked. Of all the answers Ron could have given, he had not expected that one. But Fate wasn't an angel or a demon. Fate was something entirely apart, and everyone, angel, demon, or mortal, listened to Fate. Normally, they were fine letting people make their own choices, own decisions, but when something needed to happen, it needed to happen.

"Pity," he said dryly. "I rather liked . . . James Mordred and Lily Elizabeth, weren't they?"

"Yes," Ron said softly. "They were good, kind, and fair. But why are you so interested?"

Draco looked deep into Ron's eyes. "I remembered what you told me once, about wanting to become mortal. It sounded interesting. I wanted to see your current pets."

Ron's eyes widened. "That can't-"

"Be spoken? Oh, I quite agree. But there are rituals that can be done, and sacrifices that can be made to complete it."

"They would require me to fall," Ron said.

"They would require me to be raised," Draco replied. "Who is truly going to suffer?"

Ron scoffed. "I doubt that you would follow through with this."

"What would it take to prove it?" Draco said, looking deep into the other man's eyes.

Ron looked at him. "Do what you've always wanted to do."

Draco smirked. He was a demon, a monster, a creature that men feared and hid from.

And he was so very tired. He was always tired except when he was with Ron.

So Draco did what he always wanted to do.

He kissed him. Hard and fast, without care. Distantly, he heard Harry asked where the two blokes had come from, but he didn't care.

He didn't care about anything except Ron.

* * *

I really like this idea, and I want to do more of it. Perhaps in a few more chapters, after I get through a few other stories I need to write.


	6. The Door Creaked Open (tw for ng rape)

Written for **Defense Against the Dark Arts Classroom**. Trigger warnings for rape, though not graphic. There will be a sequel up soon. Inspired by "Sleeping With Thine Enemies" by isolde13.

* * *

Ron closed his eyes when he heard the door creak open.

_"__Hello," he whispered against his skin._

Ron didn't do anything except bend to his will.

_"__Is everything all right, my love?" he asked._

Ron couldn't do anything but bend to his desire.

_"__Aren't you glad that you don't have to deal with your family anymore?"_

He moved inside Ron, and neither paid any attention to his tears.

_"__I love you."_

(o)

Ron opened his eyes, gasping and choking from the images in his dream. The lone window in his room was shining a small silver of the moon into it, and Ron found himself staring at it until he went crossed eyed.

Lucius hadn't visited him all night, and every minute that he didn't come see him, was another minute something was preventing him.

And though Ron wasn't looking forward to Lucius, the later he came meant the more something was infuriating him.

Ron hated it when Lucius came to him angry.

Ron didn't even realize that he had fallen asleep, that he hadn't been aware of what was going around him. He didn't mean to, but he was so tired, so exhausted. It was hard, always being on alert, always playing Lucius's game.

He knew he could never win, but he also knew that he couldn't lose.

In what seemed like simultaneously seconds and hours, Lucius came.

Ron closed his eyes when he heard the door creaked open.

(o)

It had only been a week since Hogwarts' let out, a week that Ron was enjoying.

Until Lucius captured him of course.

The Malfoy elder had been hiding in one of the old houses in France since the Ministry attack, one that had nearly been forgotten.

One where no one would look for him.

Of course, he was still helping out You-Know-Who, still making sure that he was in his good graces. But Lucius needed to have fun.

And his fun was Ron.

(o)

Ron knew that he wasn't the best son, or the best friend. But he didn't think he had ever done something so bad that he deserved this.

The scary thing was, he knew Lucius truly did love him.

In a warped, twisted way, Lucius cared. Lucius needed him.

Ron just didn't return those feelings, though Lucius could never know that.

Because who knows what he would do if he did.

(o)

Ron wiped his tears away, pretending, as he always did, that they were from far different emotions than they were.

_"__Soon, my love, we will be able to be together."_

Ron prayed that soon would never come.


	7. Ron Is a Werewolf

This is written for SiriusMarauderFan. This is also written for **Weekly AU! Competition.**

* * *

"No!" Ron yelled as he crossed his arms petulantly. "I don't want to go to bed!"

Molly groaned as she briefly looked at her youngest son. She couldn't spare too much attention to him however, as the twins had just caused a rather major explosion in the living room, Ginny was crying, Bill and Charlie were fighting, and Percy was complaining.

"Now, Ron!" she yelled, harsher than she meant. "I don't have time to listen to your complaining, so go to bed. I'll be up in a minute." Not paying attention to see if Ron was doing what she told him, she grabbed her wand to clean up the mess.

Ron glared at her as she went. He didn't want to go to bed, he wanted to stay up and play! Quickly, before she would realize that he had left, he snuck out the backdoor. He started walking towards the forest, where he wanted to go play and climb some trees.

Percy, who had been shooed from the living room, went to the kitchen to grab an apple before he went to bed. He saw Ron walking towards the forest and rolled his eyes. His little brother was going to get in so much trouble with their mother later, unless someone stopped him. Percy supposed that someone was going to have to be him.

He walked out of the Burrow, preparing to yell at Ron to come back here before Mum killed him.

Then he saw it. A long creature came out of the woods, his glowing amber eyes on his little brother. Percy felt his heart drop and his palms became sweaty. His stomach bottomed out and Percy started walking faster. He didn't dare make a sound, not wanting to scare Ron or alert the creature to his presence and lose the element of surprise.

For the rest of his life, Percy wished that he had done something. Anything, because the creature suddenly lunged at his little brother and all that Percy was aware of next was Ron's scream, the creature's growl, and then a blinding flash of light (Percy wondered if that was him) that made the creature fly through the air and slam into the tree. Percy was running, faster than anyone in the world has ever run before. He was vaguely aware that he was screaming, though for what he wasn't sure.

He got to Ron. Ron, his little brother, his little brother who he didn't want anything bad to happen to, who now had a bleeding wound in his shoulder, a wound that looked very much like a-

Percy went cold.

It looked a lot like a bite. Slowly, Percy turned his gaze toward the moon.

The full moon.

He heard his mother screaming, his father yelling, Bill and Charlie running towards him. None of it registered though. He was only aware of Ron and the fact that his breath was becoming more and more shallow. Percy had his hand over the wound, over the _thing_ that would change his family forever.

Percy wasn't sure what happened next. He was aware that his parents were pushing him out of the way to get to Ron, but after that, he knew nothing.

(o)

Ron woke up screaming. His entire body was on fire and it _hurt_. He wanted it to stop, he wanted it to end, and he wanted his mama.

Where was his mama? He needed her. She would make everything better if she were here. Ron was vaguely aware that he was yelling something, aware that someone else was yelling, but he didn't pay any attention. He just wanted his mama.

Ron only truly became aware of what was going on around him when he felt arms wrap around him, pulling him into a warm embrace. He heard his mother. She was telling him it was okay, everything was alright, she was so sorry he was hurting and if she could, she would take away all his pain. She would bear this curse herself.

Ron listened to her words as he sobbed his heart out. He wasn't sure what happened to him.

He just knew that it hurt.

(o)

Arthur watched his wife and youngest son with a heavy heart. Ron had woken up when he and Molly had been talking to the Healer about what they would need to do now that. . .

Now that Ron was a werewolf.

Merlin, his little boy was a werewolf. Ron would live his entire life not knowing what it was like to not live in fear of what you were, hated for it.

Arthur would do anything to prevent that. He would gladly take this curse if need be. If forced to choose between Molly or Ron, there would be no question about it. He would choose Molly. If he could pass this off to any random person on the street, he would. Anything to prevent one of his children from living a life of hell.

That's all it would be.

The Healer seemed not to care too much about his son, and Arthur was moments away from throttling him. Ron was nothing but a little boy who was sick and anyone who said differently was going to meet the business end of his wand.

Charlie, Percy and the twins were sitting on the floor in the hospital corridor. For once, the twins weren't taunting Percy, instead trying to get him to do something, _say_ something.

All Percy had done since the attack was stare blankly at various things and move only when someone guided him. He had said nothing, not even about how it happened, and various Healers had all said the same thing: Percy was in shock and nothing could be done about it, except perhaps confirmation that Ron was okay.

But they all knew that Ron was never going to be okay.

Not truly.

Bill, God bless Bill, had taken Ginny to the cafeteria to get something to eat. Arthur wasn't sure what he and Molly would have done if they hadn't had their eldest taking care of their younger children.

All of them, almost half-dead, had woken up when they heard Ron scream. Quickly, they ran into the room.

Molly grabbed their little boy, their little boy who was going to be forced to grow up too soon, and started soothing him. Everything she said, Arthur wished he could do the same.

(o)

"Is this Ron Weasley's room?" Molly heard someone ask. She was cleaning up the room, making it as nice as she could. Ron was sleeping again. He had only woken up a few times in the past few days, each time screaming and crying. Arthur had taken the kids home, bringing them by every day of course, but the kids needed have some semblance of normalcy. They needed to adjust to what happened and Molly knew that couldn't happen in the hospital.

Molly refused to leave, of course.

She looked up, and saw a young man, who looked like he was in his mid-twenties with shaggy brown hair and amber eyes. Cautiously, she straightened up and grabbed her wand.

"He was bitten by Fenrir Greyback, correct?" the man continued. Molly nodded jerkily. "He's four, right?" She nodded again.

The man sighed. "I was too. Bitten by him at four."

Molly's eyes widened. "Who-?"

"Remus Lupin," the man said.

Molly looked at him. "How-?"

"It was okay," the man said. "It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, as my parents thought it would be. Many times, it was great."

Molly swallowed the lump in her throat. "Why are you here?" she asked softly.

"I have a message from Albus Dumbledore," Lupin stated.

Molly felt her knees go weak. Hogwarts. She hadn't even thought about Hogwarts, but she should have. She should have thought about-

"He'll always be welcomed. And anyone who doesn't accept him won't be."

Molly didn't think she had ever felt more grateful in her life.

(o)

Ron closed his eyes as his father carried him inside. He was still tired and his body ached, though compared to what it had felt like before, it felt like nothing.

He didn't want to think about why he was hurting.

He never wanted to think about it.

"Ron," his father said gently as he sat Ron gently down on the couch. "Ron, what do you want to do?"

Ron shrugged. He wasn't quite sure. He could feel his siblings watching him, and he paid them no mind.

"So!" his mother said with fake cheer. "What do you want to do?"

Ron looked at his mother. "Sleep," he said miserably. He was really tired and he just didn't want to be around his family. He just wanted everything to go back to normal.

Why couldn't everything go back to normal?

His mother's face fell, and Ron felt bad, but he could feel his eyes closing as he sat. "Of course," she said. "Whatever you want."

His father looked at his mother, a silent conversation passing between them. Carefully, his father picked him again and carried him to his room. With his help, Ron got changed into his pajamas and laid down. He was aware of his parents kissing him on the forehead before they left the room to sleep.

He wasn't sure, but he also thought Percy came in and apologized.

For what, Ron didn't know.

(o)

Percy stared at the floor as his whole family stayed up, even Ginny. Earlier this evening, a man who his parents had introduced as Mr. Lupin, but who told Percy and his siblings that he could call him Remus, had come to get Ron.

His parents had half-heartedly tried to send them all to bed, but none of them accepted that. They were all going to wait for Ron.

"Where's he going?" George asked, quieter than Percy had ever heard him before.

"He's going to a safe place, a place where someone can watch Ron and make sure everything is okay," his father said. "Mr. Lupin is an expert in werewolves, so he's the best person that can watch Ron."

"He just wants to study the little werewolf," Percy said bitterly. "He doesn't care."

"He does, Percy," said his mother. "He's dedicated his life to make werewolves lives better. And that mean that he's dedicating his life to making Ron's life better."

Percy looked at his mother. He wasn't sure if she was telling the truth, but right now, he had to believe that she was.

(o)

Remus looked at the boy in front of him. It had been three years since Ron became a werewolf, and Remus had a feeling that he was just now accepting that this was never going away.

That was how old Remus was when he realized no matter what, this was going to stay with him forever.

Ron had put back on his clothes, and was hugging himself, his knees up to his chin. There was a scratch on his wrist and Remus felt his heartbreak. He knew exactly how the boy must be feeling, how lost and confused and frighten. Remus opened to say something, but Ron beat him to it.

"I don't think Percy likes me anymore," he whispered, his eyes on the ground.

"What?" Remus asked, honestly confused. All the Weasleys had seemed protective of their brother, but Percy seemed by far the most. "Why do you think that?"

"He's never around. Hasn't been . . . ever since. He always leaves when I come into the room now. Why?" Ron asked, turning to look at Remus with big blue eyes that made his heart break.

"He's guilty," Remus said bluntly, more than he should have.

"Why?" Ron asked, confusion apparent in his eyes.

"Because he feels like if he had stopped you sooner, caught up with you sooner, you wouldn't be a werewolf." Remus knew that he wasn't speaking to Ron like the boy he was, but he knew that he couldn't. Ron had been forced to grow up far faster and more brutally than he should have.

"It's not his fault though," Ron said indignantly. "It's Greyback's!"

Remus sighed and gave him a soft smile. "Has Percy ever heard you say that?"

The look on Ron's face told Remus all.

(o)

Ron woke up. For a minute, he forgot what day it was, and then he remembered.

It was his first day of Hogwarts.

Ron quickly got up and got dressed, shaking from the combination of excitement and nervousness he felt. Hogwarts. It was finally here, this long awaited goal, and Ron wasn't sure how to take it all in.

He wasn't sure how Hogwarts would take him.

Ron went downstairs, seeing that the sun had barely began to rise. He wondered if anyone else in his family had woken up.

His question was answered by Percy sitting at the kitchen table. His older brother was dressed, and was watching the sun. Their relationship had gotten better over the years, after Ron made it abundantly clear that it was not Percy's fault, but there was still a distance born from Percy's guilt. Ron just wanted it to go away.

"Percy?" Ron said.

Percy whipped his head around when he heard Ron's voice and blinked. Ron must have disturbed him from some pretty deep thoughts. "Ron," he said. "What are you doing up?"

"I could ask you the same," Ron retorted.

Percy rolled his eyes. "I couldn't sleep. You?"

"I just woke up," Ron replied.

Percy grinned. "I was the same. It's like our mind knows that we need to be up from the beginning of this day."

Ron nodded. The thoughts that had been plaguing him from the time that he was four were reaching a high crescendo, the wonderment that he could go to Hogwarts, and the fear that he might not last there long. Remus told him that he had often felt the same, but Ron knew that just because Remus did it didn't mean that Ron could.

He felt Percy's arms circle around him, and Ron returned the embrace.

"Don't worry," Percy whispered into his ear. "I'll make sure everything will be okay."

It was odd that those simple words could almost erase years of doubt and make Ron finally feel like it was going to be okay.


End file.
